


Tangerine Dream

by sunaddicted



Series: Tumblr Prompts 2018 [24]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Chronic Pain, Drinking, Drug Use, F/F, Friendship, Future Fic, Gen, Karaoke, M/M, Marijuana, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 06:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15680349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunaddicted/pseuds/sunaddicted
Summary: Really, Oswald Cobblepot was the Bruce Wayne of the Rogues.





	Tangerine Dream

**Author's Note:**

> The lovely @witchunters asked for "you put what in the candies?" + Oswald and Barbara being friends. 
> 
> The T+ rating is there only for the drug use, which is for medical purposes but I decided to keep my bases covered.

_Tangerine Dream_

If there was something Barbara had never expected her partner to do, it was to engage into karaoke in front of the refined crowd that frequented the Iceberg Lounge - and Barbara wasn't so inclined to explain off the anomalous behaviour with a simple "she must be drunk" because if there was something Lee had in common with the owner of the club, it was that she basically was a high-functioning alcoholic and the whiskeys on the rocks she had had during the evening certainly weren't enough to inebriate her to the point of killing her inhibitions.

No, at the worst, Lee was feeling a little buzzy and held onto Nygma's arm for support - not that he was much steadier than her, even if he had just drunk one grasshopper - just because that night she had decided to wear very high stiletto heels: stuff that could have easily doubled as a dagger to the heart, if Lee had been inclined to ruin her shoes in such a way.

So, there must have been another explanation that was eluding her at the moment but Barbara decided to blame it on the drinks that kept magically appearing by her elbow, summoned out of the blue by the snapping of Oswald's fingers; had it been anyone else, Barbara would have had the suspicion that she was purposefully being pleaded with drinks so that she would lose her focus - but the truth was that Oswald was still perfectly functional after his tenth drink and he seemingly had forgotten that nobody drank as much as he did.

It probably was a nicety in his head, he was behaving like a gracious host who didn't worry about just how much potential money - and it was a lot, considering how overpriced the drinks were at the Lounge - he was wasting on his guests.

Barbara's head was thrumming, though, and she pushed away the fresh glass of vodka that was exuding perspiration onto the table, its surface steadily getting stickier and stickier - a real bitch to clean for the club's staff but she had no doubts that they would be generously paid for their efforts: the Penguin wasn't a stingy employer and thanks to his unique position in Gotham as a bridge between the Underworld and the rest of the city's population, he could even afford to give his employees coverage for their medical expenses.

Really, Oswald Cobblepot was the Bruce Wayne of the Rogues.

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna faded out but Nygma and Lee didn't seem to have any intentions of climbing down the stage - no, they seemed pretty bent on at least singing the next song and Barbara let out an half-agonising groan when "Hey Jude" by the Beatles started.

"At least they have lovely voices" Oswald commented, drawing out of his pocket a couple of hard-boiled candies "It would be so much worse if they couldn't even hold a tune"

Barbara supposed it was true "Hand one over" she wiggled her fingers for one of the sweets that Oswald, Edward and Lee had been sucking on the whole evening "I didn't know you have such a sweet tooth"

"I don't"

Barbara frowned "Sorry to break it to you, but eating candy for hours non-stop is considered having a sweet tooth"

"Edward and Lee have had more than I did" Oswald pointed out, giving Barbara the candy.

"Maybe they're on a sugar high" she observed, risking a glance towards their partners: Lee had one arm wrapped around Nygma's waist to hold herself up while the other man swayed on his place, lips clearly fighting to get the words out without slurring them "They're so embarrassing" she said, popping the hardened ball of sugar in her mouth, curious to see what the fuss was about: despite its deep green colour, the candy tasted citrusy and sweet - almost tropical "Oh, they're good"

"Edward makes them" Oswald answered with a clearly proud smile.

"That explains the colour"

"What's in them?"

"Marijuana"

Barbara blinked, stunned by the answer "Sorry, you put what in the candies?"

Oswald turned his head to face her "Marijuana" he smoothed out one of the wrappers Edward had designed for his creations "Tangerine Dream"

"What?"

"It's the name of the strain"

Barbara blinked again, her eyes flitting from Oswald to the singing duo on the stage "Are they like... literally high?"

"I suspect so" Oswald hummed in confirmation "The candies aren't that strong but they did eat a lot of them"

"What's the point in making marijuana candies if they're not strong?"

"Edward doesn't make them for me to get high: he chose this particular strain because it's one of the best to treat chronic pain" and Oswald wasn't going to get addicted to some kind of pain med that would turn him into a drowsy walking zombie: he had stuff to do, an empire to run "And it helps with insomnia and increasing appetite, both effects which benefit Ed when he's in one of his funks"

"I wasn't expecting such a serious answer"

"I know" Oswald winked at her as he stood up, right as the song finished: it was time for Edward and Lee to get some shut-eye "Let's get them upstairs, so that my patrons can enjoy the rest of their evening"

Barbara followed, fingers closing around Oswald's wrist to momentarily stop him "I'm happy you found a way to get some relief for your pain" she said earnestly; in the past years, as they grew older and the Bat didn't give a sign of becoming any kinder, she had seen just how steadily worse the pain had gotten for Oswald.

Excruciating - or so Lee had told her after she had given Oswald one of his usual check-ups, the corners of her mouth downturned in sympathy.

"Thank you"

Barbara released his wrist "Do you have a fold-out couch or is it going to be the floor?"

Oswald chuckled "That depends on whether they manage to wait long enough for us to open it or if they'll fall asleep on the carpet"

"It's a nice carpet, at least"

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious about marijuana strains and their effects http://www.ncsm.nl/strain is a cool site (like, I discovered so much stuff lol)


End file.
